Expression profiling of Bos taurus lymph nodes upon infection with Ovine Herpesvirus 2

We hypothesized that the relative abundances of host cell transcripts in lymph nodes of animals with malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), compared to healthy controls, may be used to identify pathways that may help to explain the pathogenesis of MCF. Therefore, an abundance of host cell gene expression patterns in lymph nodes of animals with MCF and healthy controls were analyzed by microarray. Indeed, a vast number of genes related to inflammatory processes, lymphocyte activation, cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected at different abundances. However, the IL-2 transcript was eminent among the transcripts, which were, compared to healthy controls, less abundant in animals with MCF. Compared to healthy cattle, bovines with MCF appear to mimic an IL-2 knockout phenotype that has been described in mice. This supports the hypothesis that immunopathogenic events are linked to the pathogenesis of MCF. IL-2-deficiency may play an important role in the process.

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Meier-Trummer CS, Rehrauer H, Franchini M, Patrignani A, Wagner U, Ackermann M